Feb 11, 2007 By Alison Hawkes 4 min read

The stones that began to fall off the Harrisburg political bulwark post-July 2005 pay raise now seem to be eroding the structure at a quickening rate. Within the past two weeks, we’ve begun to dig a level below lawmakers to the inner workers of their legislative staff.

Millions of dollars in secret staff bonuses and shielded salary lists have been exposed.

And Philadelphia Sen. Vince Fumo was indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly pilfering $1 million from taxpayers by using his staff like personal servants.

The fraud indictment alleges, among a litany of charges, that he had Senate aides cleaning his 33-room Philadelphia mansion, serving as “project manager” on refurbishing work and driving cars to meet him at Martha’s Vineyard (while he took a private plane). Aides reportedly took out his trash, installed electronic systems and Internet access at homes and yachts, sent out political mailings and organized fundraisers. One complained about having to mail 150 Fumo bobble-head dolls.

Taxpayer-funded private investigators allegedly spied on girlfriends and an ex-wife, and dug up dirt on the governor when he was a candidate … and on and on. It was a Fumo fiefdom, as described by prosecutors, made possible by the vast sums of money in leadership accounts Fumo had access to as Democratic appropriations chairman.

But here’s the rub. Fumo may have been the most piggish (he’s said he likes to spend “OPM” or “other people’s money), but it’s hard to believe other lawmakers don’t cross similar lines now and then. It’s also hard to believe senators in that country-club chamber were entirely ignorant of his abuses.

Fumo is, quite clearly, the product of his environment. He was able to operate effectively in a place long cloaked in secrecy and obfuscation.

Audits did not catch his taxpayer-financed spending spree because basically all they do is make sure the numbers add up. What records the public is able to obtain on legislative spending are often vague. So-called “public servants” – from bureaucrats to staff to lawmakers – look the other way rather than openly criticize a colleague for misappropriating your money (saying they have to maintain their “relationship” to get other things done).

But times are a-changing.

Fumo and Bonus-gate seem to be hastening further reform, starting in both cases with the two new Senate Republican leaders. Joe Scarnati and Dominic Pileggi were the first to out Senate Republican staff over the bonuses handed out by their predecessors. Citing Fumo, they are now calling for complete audits of legislative spending and are offering $75 million from a ballooning reserve to property tax relief.

Meanwhile, in the House a determined group of reformers have the official task of changing the way the chamber does business while their leaders struggle to maintain control over shifting sands.

What a difference two weeks makes.

Politicians as terrorists

On a lighter note, a press conference was called this week on the subject of “political telephone terrorism.”

No, this is not some Al-Qaeda cell planting bombs in airport phone booths. The terrorists are apparently Pennsylvania politicians who blast unsuspecting voters with robo-call political messages.

Rep. Mike McGeehan wants to apply the messages to the state’s Do Not Call list. His office came up with the term while trying to spice up media interest in a news conference about the legislation.

For obvious reasons, they soon decided to drop it.

A McGeehan aide said an “overzealous writer” put it in the press release and it was “a poor choice of words.”

Speaker?

Pssst. Someone needs to clue in John Perzel.

His Website johnperzel.com still labels him as House Speaker. Not Speaker emeritus or former Speaker or even Speaker-to-be-again-someday-hopefully.

Alison Hawkes can be reached at 717-705-6330 or ahawkes@calkins-media.com